The best menopause supplements can provide the nutrients you miss in your daily meals. Menopause is a difficult phase for women, as it can put them at risk of developing cardiovascular issues and osteoporosis.
Nutrition needs to change during menopause. Thus, you require more calcium and protein to strengthen your bones and build stronger muscles. Supplements can provide these nutrients in the form that your aging body can absorb.
Since menopause makes you sick, you need supplements to boost your immunity. Meanwhile, this article reveals 10 supplements you should use to manage your menopause symptoms.
The Best Menopause Supplements – Top 10 Options to Consider
Before taking any of the menopause supplements, consult your doctor. They can suggest supplements that cannot react badly to the medicines you are ready to use. As a menopausal woman, you know how terrible physical and mental symptoms can get.
Hot flushes, night sweats, headaches, memory loss, vaginal atrophy, depression, and sleep disturbances are a few of the symptoms that most women endure. Menopause symptoms can disappear quickly if you enrich your diet with the correct nutrients.
You can get these nutrients from food and supplements. Menopause supplements you require to cope with this challenging phase include the following:
1. Calcium
The best menopause supplements include calcium, a mineral that can lower your odds of developing osteoporosis. This condition makes bones more porous and prone to fractures. Menopausal women lose one to two percent of bone density each year after menopause.
No wonder they have a higher risk of developing osteoporosis.
The faster decline of bone density emerges from low estrogen levels. Since estrogen levels start dropping during perimenopause, women in this age group should increase their calcium intake.
Calcium aids in bone formation and maintenance. It also ensures your nervous system and muscles operate well. Calcium is present in various food choices, including:
- Salmon
- Milk
- Cheese
- Trout
- Yogurt
- Spinach
- Orange juice(fortified)
- Tofu
- Black-eyed peas.
Calcium is helpful but you should not take it in high amounts. It can cause gastrointestinal issues. Also, a high calcium intake can affect the absorption of the menopause supplements in vitamin form. Try not to take more than 2000mg if you are over fifty-one years old. If you are a perimenopausal lady below fifty years old, 500mg daily is enough.
2. Magnesium
A magnesium supplement is crucial if you are going through menopause.Menopausal supplements offer some of these general health benefits:
- Controlling blood sugar levels
- Regulating cholesterol levels
- Promoting bone formation and maintenance of density
- Reducing cortisol levels can eliminate stress.
As far as menopause, magnesium can promote heart health by regulating your cholesterol levels. Consume magnesium to steer clear of potential cardiovascular issues. It can also minimize your risk of diabetes by regulating your blood glucose levels.
Magnesium citrate can increase bone density and strength, minimizing your risk for osteoporosis. Magnesium glycinate can reduce stress by reducing the levels of the stress-triggering cortisol in your body.
Thus, it can alleviate mood swings, anxiety, and the depression symptoms that come with menopause. In addition to taking 320mg to 350mg of magnesium daily, consider eating avocados, fat-free yogurt, soy milk, almonds, black beans, spinach, tuna, bananas, and brown rice.
3. Vitamin A
Vitamin A is among the best menopause supplements. The nutrient appears in high concentration in foods with a yellow color and some fruits and vegetables. These plants provide a form of vitamin A called beta-carotene. Some of these include:
- Carrots
- Pumpkins
- Sweet potatoes
- Red peppers
- Mango
- Grapefruit
- Cantaloupe
- Winter squash
- Kale
Animal-based vitamin A food sources include:
- Oily fish
- Butter
- Lamb’s liver
- Beef liver.
Vitamin A enhances vision, skin health, and the overall immune system. About menopause systems, Vitamin A supports the immune system. Since your body feels sick and weak during menopause, vitamin A can boost your immunity to help you fight back. Do not take more than 700mcg per day.
A Vitamin A overdose can have painful side effects, which can make your menopause symptoms worse. There are drug interactions to worry about before taking vitamin A supplements. If you take retinol medicines or blood thinners, talk to your healthcare professional before taking any vitamin A supplement.
4. Vitamin D
One of the best menopause supplements to never skip is Vitamin D. Women undergoing menopause need more vitamin D to help their bodies absorb calcium. If they have a vitamin D deficiency, their risk for these health issues increases significantly: musculoskeletal conditions, diabetes, and cardiovascular problems.
Vitamin D is easy to make if you can get regular exposure to sunshine. Still, your body cannot manufacture enough vitamin D from the UVB rays even if you stay outdoors for hours. This is so because you cover your skin with sunscreen and clothing to protect it from damage.
Vitamin D is available in tuna, trout, pork, mushrooms, and salmon. You can also eat fortified food like tofu, eggs, orange juice, milk, and cereals. Eat this fat-soluble nutrient with healthy oils like olive, avocado, or canola. Do not take more than 600 IUs of vitamin D daily. The best variant is vitamin D3.
5. B Vitamins: B12 and B6
Menopause supplements should include vitamin B12. The body needs vitamin B12 to make red blood cells, generate energy, support the nervous system, enhance heart function, and boost abdominal health. It is a crucial nutrient in the body, yet women who follow a vegetarian diet might not get enough of it.
The main food sources of Vitamin B12 include shellfish, eggs, low-fat milk, fortified cereals, tuna, beef, cheese, fortified soy milk, and beef. About 2.4 mcg daily is a good dosage to control some of your menopause symptoms.
Consider taking vitamin B12 with a vitamin B6 supplement or get a combined formula. Vitamin B6 boosts the immune function, helps the body reduce inflammation, and increases serotonin levels.
These B vitamins for menopause fatigue can control signs like depression, hot flashes, insomnia, and memory loss. Assuming you are over fifty, your best vitamin B6 dose is 1.5mg daily. Increase your intake by eating tuna, sweet potatoes, potatoes, avocados, chickpeas, salmon, and fortified tofu.
6. Black Cohosh
Black Cohosh is the popular menopause supplements for women with severe hot flashes contain black cohosh. An extraction from the black cohosh plant’s root, the supplement is suitable for someone without any liver disease. You cannot eat any food type to get the benefits of black cohosh.
So, talk to your doctor to ensure you can safely take the black cohosh extract for your hot flushes. If you have some flaxseeds at home, eat them to alleviate mild night sweats. These are a type of hot flashes that occur only at night. Flaxsees contain lignans, compounds that can stabilize your reproductive hormones.
7. Gingseng
Another of the top natural supplements for menopause is Ginseng. Studies on Gingseng as a natural cure for menopause symptoms suggest that the herb has potency. Menopause causes mood swings and insomnia.
If you take Gingseng, it will improve your mood and reduce sleep disturbances. There is evidence that Gingseng can regulate your hot flashes. Nonetheless, no studies confirm the best choice between American and Korean Ginseng.
8. DHEA (Dehydroepiandrosterone)
DHEA is another popular menopause supplements. The body makes DHEA by itself but you need to boost its levels during menopause. The available studies suggest that DHEA may alleviate a few menopause symptoms. First, it can reduce your hot flashes, which might help you sleep better.
Secondly, the DHEA can boost your immune system to give you enough strength to fight menopause side effects. Thirdly, DHEA can support calcium and vitamin D in preventing loss of bone density. Lastly, you can use it to promote the growth of muscles as you age.
9. Vitamin K
A vitamin K supplement is crucial during menopause. You can get vitamin K in green leafy vegetables like kale and Swiss chard. Menopause supplements with Vitamin K promote the production of platelets, which facilitate blood clotting.
Besides enhancing blood vessel functioning, vitamin K supports bone health. Regarding menopause symptoms, vitamin K reduces bone loss. Thus, it protects you from osteoporosis as you age. You should not exceed 90mcg daily.
Apart from leafy greens, you can get more vitamin K from okra, canola oil, green beans, and cruciferous vegetables. Eat it with healthy oil to increase its absorption rate.
10. Vitamin C
Vitamin C is a water-soluble nutrient. Hence, eat it daily to increase your immunity against cold and flu. Vitamin C maintains healthy-looking skin, as it promotes the healing of wounds. Moreover, vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that will make you look younger, even after menopause.
Besides maintaining your bone density and protecting you from osteoporosis, vitamin C might alleviate your hot flashes. Lastly, it can lower your odds of developing cardiovascular issues. The recommended amount of vitamin C daily is 2,000mg.
You can take menopause supplements for Vitamin C with citrus fruits, broccoli, strawberries, tomatoes, guavas, and kiwi.
Conclusion
The best menopause supplements can help you move from menopause to postmenopause. Now you know the best ten supplements to help improve your symptoms. Remember to include omega-3 supplements and foods because they can boost your immunity, brain function, and heart health.
Omega 3s will protect you from cardiovascular issues during menopause. Many other supplements can help you, including turmeric. However, discuss the most appropriate options with your doctor.